How to make an item in a picklist unselectable ?

[Frank Sikuluzu]

something looks simple but just no knowledge yet --

************
<FORM ACTION=".....">
.....
Month: <SELECT NAME="mon" SIZE="2">
<OPTION VALUE="00"> average
<OPTION VALUE="01"> January
<OPTION VALUE="06"> June
<OPTION VALUE="11"> Nov
<OPTION VALUE="12"> Dec

</SELECT>
....
</FORM>
************

I just want the first item "average" become

1) either it is NOT selectable
2) or if you select it and press SUBMIT button, it will be ignored in the "ACTION" (i.e. you won't be able to retrieve its value from the "mon" parameter). But other items won't be ignored if they are selected

between 1) and 2), I prefer 1). But if 1) is impossible, 2) is OK.

Please help.

[Eric Pascarello]

You can not mkae it unselecteable, unless you run a script that validates the field stating that you need to select an option from the list. (Why include the option in the first place if it is not used?)

Eric

Why don't you just handle it on the server? Rather simple if statement in my eyes.

Eric

[Frank Sikuluzu]

Originally posted by Eric Pascarello:
You can not mkae it unselecteable, unless you run a script that validates the field stating that you need to select an option from the list. (Why include the option in the first place if it is not used?)

Eric

Why don't you just handle it on the server? Rather simple if statement in my eyes.

Eric

Give you a concrete example :

I want to display a picklist like following

*************************
Deli Department
ham
cheese
potato
Seafood Department
rock fish
crab
lobster
*************************

But I only want users to pick the real item instead of "Seafood Department" or "deli dept" which is use to group the items. So, any idea we can handle from front ? I know it can be manipulated on server.

[Andrew Eccleston]

Try the "optgroup" element. View the spec .

andrew

[Frank Sikuluzu]

Originally posted by Andrew Eccleston:
Try the "optgroup" element. View the spec .

andrew

This sounds like an excellent idea. In the following example --

**************
<OPTGROUP label="PortMaster 3">
<OPTION label="3.7.1" value="pm3_3.7.1">PortMaster 3 with ComOS 3.7.1</OPTION>
<OPTION label="3.7" value="pm3_3.7">PortMaster 3 with ComOS 3.7</OPTION>
<OPTION label="3.5" value="pm3_3.5">PortMaster 3 with ComOS 3.5</OPTION>
</OPTGROUP>
**************

Can I omit the "label=" for the <OPTION> tag ? I know "value" is useful for future information retrieval. Is "label" important ? Of course, it seems to be essential for <OPTGROUP>, but is it eseential for <OPTION> ?

[Andrew Eccleston]

From what I see of your list, you should be able to omit the label in the OPTION tag. I think that the OPTION tag only needs the label attribute in more complicated lists. I personally have not had any problems with removing it.

andrew